That night, I watched the familiar red-and-white uniforms of the Seoul National High School band as they marched onto the field. For a second, I felt a twinge of guilt for my disloyalty to my old school. But then SNHS football team appeared. I saw Jinwoon and stopped feeling guilty.

The visiting team’s stands were full. Although I couldn’t recognize any of my old friends from where I was sitting with Dongwoon, Kikwang, Jaejin and Hyunseung, I knew they were there. I’d seen a long paper sign attached to the fence that read HI, YOSEOB! At the fifty-yard line, two dancers, one of whom appeared to be Taemin, unrolled another sign that asked letters two feet high, JUNHYUNG WHO???

They will soon find out, I thought smugly. JNHS kicked off to SNHS and on the very first play of Jinwoon who is trying to score a goal ended defenceless when Junhyung got block the ball and kick it to Doojoon to set up their own play. Jinwoon never knew Junhyung could run fast and block his unblocking kick. I could see that Jinwoon is already pissed like what I really want to happen.

“He did it! He did it!” I screamed, grabbing Dongwoon by the shoulders and shaking him.

“I’ve been wanting to piss him off but I don’t know how!”

“It’s really pathetic the way the media exaggerate Junhyung’s mediocre talent,” Kikwang said, grinning.

Junhyung raised one arm in a thumbs-up gesture, and I knew it was meant for me. I answered him with a thumbs-up of my own, although I knew he probably couldn’t see it.

By the middle of the first half, JNHS was leading and threatening to score again. I decided I’d better visit my old friends while they would still speak to me. I dug my hands deep into the pocket of Junhyung’s jacket. Daniel, Onew and Chundong greeted me with enthusiastic squeals.

“Where’d you get that jacket, Yoseob? Chundong asked.

“I have a boyfriend on the team,” I said proudly.

“Which one is he?”

“Number fifty six,” I said, pointing to where Junhyung was standing on near the goal.

“You’re dating Yong Junhyung?” Daniel gasped. “He’s the one who’s been beating up on Jinwoon all night!”

“And it couldn’t happen to a better guy,” Onew added. “We’ll almost forgive Jeju for winning if Jinwoon’s head gets deflated to a normal size.”

“Show us a picture of Junhyung,” Chundong said eagerly.

“Do you have a program?” I asked.

Onew borrowed one from the person sitting behind us. I turned the pages until I came to Junhyung’s picture. I handed the program to Chundong.

“That’s him.”

“Wow,” he breathed.

“Double wow,” said Daniel. “Can I have him when you’re through with him?

“Sorry. He’s all mine.”

“You can have him,” Onew commented. “He looks so mean. I’d be scared to death of him.”

“I kind of was when I first met him,” I admitted. “But he’s really sweet once you get to know him.”

We talked for about few minutes more, and then I headed back for the Jeju side of the field. I had gone only a little way when I heard a sugary voice calling my name.

“Yoseob! How nice to see you again.”

I turned, and there was Taemin, cuter and blonder than ever in his red-and-white short and oversize white sweater.

“Taemin,” I said in a voice that dripped honey. “I hardly recognized you. Those sweaters certainly add the pounds, don’t they?”

His dazzling smile only got brighter. “Funny as ever, Yoseob. I hope you’re not still mad because I stole Jinwoon from you.”

“Of course not. You belong together. You’re two of a kind.” I said sincerely.

“Well, I think so,” he simpered. Obviously, the insult was too subtle to register in his tiny brain. He continued, “Jinwoon is starting as striker this year-had you noticed? If that mean guy from your team would just leave him alone, we’d be winning now.”

“Yeah, its really inconsiderate of him.” I agreed.

“I hear you’ve got a boyfriend on the team,” Taemin said sweetly. “Is he warming the bench?”

“As a matter of fact, he is.” I glanced across the field at Junhyung, who was sitting on the bench. “Number fifty-six. You might recognize him. He’s the mean guy who’s being so mean to poor Jinwoon.”

With that, I my heel and marched off without another word. Revenge was very sweet. I was still savoring my triumph when I suddenly realized what I had done. I’d been bragging about Junhyung as if he were my boyfriend, when I really had no claim on him at all. Even worse, I had said these things and actually believed every word at the time. Everything was becoming so much more complicated than I had thought. Maybe I should have just taken chances and gone out with Lee Joon, I thought gloomily. Things would have been a whole lot simpler. By the time I rejoined my friends, I was completely depressed and confused.

“You’re just in time, Yoseob.” Kikwang said. “I’m going to get something to drink. Can I bring you anything?”

“Thanks, Kikwang. I’d like a soda, coke please, if you don’t mind.” I took a 1000 won out of my wallet and gave it to him.

Kikwang asked the others what they wanted. Jaejin volunteered to go with him, and went off.

“When are you going to have mercy on that poor boy and go out with him?” Dongwoon asked Hyunseung as soon as Kikwang was out of earshot.

“I’d be glad to go out with Kikwang,” Hyunseung said sadly. “But he hasn’t asked me.”

“You’re kidding!” I cried. “Everybody knows he’s crazy about you.”

Hyunseung sighed. “He sure has funny way of showing it. To tell you the truth, I was sort of hoping he’d ask me to the dance next week. You two are lucky to be going steady. You don’t have to worry about dates.”

If he only knew, I thought.